Little balls of goat cheese can be rolled in almost anything! Nuts, dried fruit, herbs, lemon or orange zest…they are delicious little bites with a cocktail, and also tasty (and pretty) on top of salads. Enjoy!
By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast
Forest Fiesta with Umami Mart
Last weekend on a warm Sunday evening in the woods we hosted A Forest Fiesta in honor of the recent opening of the Umami Mart shop in Oakland (opened by our friends Kayoko and Yoko). Umami Mart started as a food blog in 2007 and I am lucky to have been a contributor since the beginning. Umami Mart has blossomed not only into a brick-and-mortar shop, but into a community of cooks, artists and friends. Guests who came were contributors to Umami Mart and all brought amazing things to share. Mike made some amazing brazilian cheese bread (I need to try this recipe!), Kishi brought his delicious home made cheez-its (based on Mark Bittman’s recipe), and Anders made his incredible strawberry Pavlova for dessert.
If you are in Oakland, I encourage you to stop by the Umami Mart shop which sells Japanese barware and cool kitchen items.
Umami Mart: 815 Broadway, Oakland CA
Photos by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast
Julia Child Anniversary
While reading My Life in France, you can’t not fall in love with this brave woman whose approach to both cooking and life is sweet, honest, persistent and passionate. In the 1940’s, Julia Child moved to Paris because of her husband’s job. She didn’t speak French, was in her late 30s and somehow felt the need to reinvent herself. It took her a while to find her passion, but when she did, she went full force ahead! Her complete devotion to cooking and teaching created the success story that has inspired so many, including me. Living in New York before I was married, my roommate and I would sometimes cook dinner with Julia by setting up old episodes of The French Chef on the laptop on the kitchen counter. We were inevitably crying with laughter by the end of the show- she’s amazing.
She would have been 100 years old today. Bon Anniversaire, Julia!
Mint Pesto Potato Salad with Cherry Tomatos
Last week my parents hosted a summer dinner party at their house in Sonoma County. It was such a warm night that we wanted to eat outside, however we had to stay under the netting canopy to avoid mosquitos! Dad BBQed chicken and we made lots of salads with goods from the garden. This Mint Pesto Potato Salad was a hit! Just make pesto as usual, but use mint instead of basil. Any kind of nuts would work, but we used walnuts. You can boil or roast the potatoes and you may need a touch more olive oil and a pinch of sea salt when mixing it all up in the bowl. It’s great warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast
Watermelon Bruschetta
We just spent the last week at my parents’ cabin in the woods in Sonoma County (I guess you know where I get it!). I love late summer there when the blackberries are ripe and the evenings are warm and golden. We picked vegetables from my Mom’s garden to cook dinner with and ate outdoors. This Watermelon Bruschetta was a delicious appetizer one night before dinner with cold white wine.
By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast
